


As the world falls down

by orphan_account



Series: Whoniverse Shortfic [12]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: M/M, Time War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-20
Updated: 2012-09-20
Packaged: 2017-11-14 16:49:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/517429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Master remember each other after the war, unaware of each others' existence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As the world falls down

The Doctor watched the world fall down around him, and he thought about where the Master might be, as Gallifrey burned. The Doctor  _knew_ , of course, but it was easier to slip into fantasy, deluding himself that maybe, the universe had been kind to him just this once. One of the Master’s nefarious schemes would be downright refreshing after what he had gone through. 

—

The Master, human, worked peacefully on his science with Chantho, unware of the death of his planet, or what his Doctor had done. The only thing left of him was the drumming, and it merely served as an annoyance, giving Professor Yana an occasional headache. 

“I think I was in a war, once,” Yana said one day, trying to sort out his thoughts. “I do not remember much about my past, but there was a man. I hope he turned out all right.” 

“Chan, was he your friend, tho?” 

“I cannot remember that, either. He must have been nice, though, for me to remember him. Ah, well. I wish him the best.”

—

As the Doctor ran away from Gallifrey, his new body burning with rage and grief, he almost had a mind to stop at the end of the universe. It was a sick, morbid thought, but that was the only sort of thought he had at the moment. He had seen the end of Gallifrey, why not see when  _everything_  died? 

When he tried, however, the TARDIS whirred, and would not take him.

“I’m an idiot, I’ve gone and broken you,” the Doctor murmured. “We’ll go somewhere else, then. Anywhere but here.” 

—

To Chantho’s amusement, Yana mentioned the strange man from his memories more than once, and she began to wonder if they had been suitors. 

“I think his favorite flower was the daffodil…or was it a daisy? My memory is terrible these days.” Yana would mumble to himself as he worked, and Chantho found his ramblings very entertaining. One day, though, the cheer vanished, and he sighed, looking at her.

“I don’t know why I keep nattering on about him. Heaven knows that if he showed up now, I probably wouldn’t recognize him. We’ve had so much time to grow old and full of nonsense. If I start talking about him again, change the subject.” There was something tired in Yana’s eyes, and he focused on his work, trying not to think too much.

“Chan, of course, tho.”

—

The Doctor had convinced himself once and for all that every Time Lord was dead. There was not a single one alive. Not Romana, not Susan, not the Master, no matter how much he wanted it to be the case. And he was trying to move on, now, visiting Earth again.

Sometimes, though, he would think of them, and most often the Master. It was most often when he was alone in his TARDIS, with no one to talk to but the TARDIS herself.

“You wouldn’t even recognize me, probably,” the Doctor murmured to a Master that he was sure did not exist. “I’ve had time to grow old and scarred, and you’ve just had time to die. I suppose I shouldn’t hope for one of your resurrection schemes this time.” He turned to the TARDIS.

“Old girl, if I keep talking about him, make me change the subject. Take me somewhere. Lurch, and throw me to the ground. I’m done talking nonsense.”


End file.
